Hull City

Hull executive chairman Adam Pearson has denied the cut-price sale of defender Michael Turner was for financial reasons. Pearson has lifted the lid on the deal which saw Turner join Sunderland in August for what was described at the time as an undisclosed fee. Tigers manager Phil Brown had previously valued Turner at around \00A312 million but it has been revealed the 25-year-old cost the Wearsiders just \00A34m. The deal does not include any add-ons based on performances with 33% of the \00A34m going to Turner's former clubs Brentford and Charlton. The size of the fee has again raised questions about the necessity to balance the books but Pearson insists the club didn't have to sell, adding: "Under no circumstances was it a financial necessity to sell Michael Turner. I can only second guess what people were thinking but there was probably a feeling the player wanted to go and that was the best possible deal available for him. It's not incremental, the total amount of cash we will receive for Michael Turner is \00A32.8m. Those are the facts."